The Courtyard at the Outpost.
"Your leisurely vacation is over, boys. Oh, and lovely ladies too. You're not some idle wizards. You still need to do something now and then, to remind certain people that there are Demon Hunter Wizards in this little corner of the Endless Sea."
Wizard Zorn spoke as he strolled past Ruger's chair toward his familiar seat at the head of the long dining table.
Though he had walked past, Ruger felt as if the smell of alcohol on Zorn was still standing beside his chair.
Once seated, Zorn suddenly glanced at Ruger again.
Ruger smiled back, meeting Zorn's appraising gaze. He knew Zorn had noticed that he had become a Two-Ring Wizard.
Wizard Jillian, who had arrived earlier, had noticed too. She had simply remained seated there without ever looking directly at him, probing him only with faint, intermittent traces of mental power.
Seemingly sensing Ruger's gaze,
Varin looked over from one side and offered him a sweet smile.
Ruger looked at the area around her eye. There were still a few wrinkles on that side, making it look twenty or thirty years older than the other half of her face, but that was all. Most of the rest had already recovered. At least she no longer looked as frightening as before. He only hoped she would eventually return to the fair, fresh-faced Varin she had once been.
Of course, she looked good now too, more confident and graceful than when her skin had been fair and smooth.
Knock, knock!
Wizard Zorn tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
At the sound, everyone stopped what they were doing. Just because they were all sitting there did not mean they were idle. Even now, they might not have stopped completely, but at least they diverted a